Twin Plenum Vitesse restoration
Discussion
Hi all,
Been ongoing for a couple of years now but I thought I'd post some pics of the progress to date. My dad had the car from almost new, he bought it from Rover at 6 months old when it'd had been registered as a directors car. It's the only car he ever kept for any length of time having had some amazing motors. Sadly we lost him to cancer in '06 and he left the car to me. I thought it fitting to do a complete restoration even though the rust, by this stage, was rampant.
I'll be doing some choice upgrades to the engine, brakes suspension etc. When I was small and he bought the car I remember there was a choice of two ex-directors cars, one in silver, one in black. I preferred the black car, so I decided I'd re-spray his in black when the body work was complete - I felt he'd allow me that one indulgence.
Parts supply has been good so far, the only exception was for the air-con. I ended up buying another car (complete snotter) just for the air-con spares. Possibly the only SD1 even more rusty then mine.
Anyway, pictures so far:
When it'd had been standing for about 5 years (hadn't been on the road for about 5 years before that, was in one of the barns before)
After I got it home I started to have a good look at the state of the body:
Clearly I was going to need a lot of new/second hand pannels:
The interior was in good shape apart from the small lawn in the back:
All had to come out for the body work to begin:
Whilst the doors, boot and bonnet were all totally shot the body tub was in reasonable shape, only requiring patching in a dozen or so places. The arch's were quite far gone but repair parts from Rimmers welded in sorted that out. I found a car in the local scappers that had good doors and sourced a boot and bonnet via the owners club so all good there. Saldly I've lost the photos from the body work as the storms tore a load of tiles off the house and water poured into my study and onto my PC and camera, sadly I'd not backed up those photos into my archive - grrrr!!! Double grrrr in fact as some of the tiles went through the boot glass of the Vitesse. I fitted the glass from my old boot lid but that was a horrible, horrible job that I will never do again.
Anyway, some photos after coming back from the sprayers, the air-con snotter can be seen in the background:
The wheels are 16" compomotives, I have a set of lovely 16" 3 piece split rims to go on shortly.
So, loads of work to do still, I'll update this as I go.
Been ongoing for a couple of years now but I thought I'd post some pics of the progress to date. My dad had the car from almost new, he bought it from Rover at 6 months old when it'd had been registered as a directors car. It's the only car he ever kept for any length of time having had some amazing motors. Sadly we lost him to cancer in '06 and he left the car to me. I thought it fitting to do a complete restoration even though the rust, by this stage, was rampant.
I'll be doing some choice upgrades to the engine, brakes suspension etc. When I was small and he bought the car I remember there was a choice of two ex-directors cars, one in silver, one in black. I preferred the black car, so I decided I'd re-spray his in black when the body work was complete - I felt he'd allow me that one indulgence.
Parts supply has been good so far, the only exception was for the air-con. I ended up buying another car (complete snotter) just for the air-con spares. Possibly the only SD1 even more rusty then mine.
Anyway, pictures so far:
When it'd had been standing for about 5 years (hadn't been on the road for about 5 years before that, was in one of the barns before)
After I got it home I started to have a good look at the state of the body:
Clearly I was going to need a lot of new/second hand pannels:
The interior was in good shape apart from the small lawn in the back:
All had to come out for the body work to begin:
Whilst the doors, boot and bonnet were all totally shot the body tub was in reasonable shape, only requiring patching in a dozen or so places. The arch's were quite far gone but repair parts from Rimmers welded in sorted that out. I found a car in the local scappers that had good doors and sourced a boot and bonnet via the owners club so all good there. Saldly I've lost the photos from the body work as the storms tore a load of tiles off the house and water poured into my study and onto my PC and camera, sadly I'd not backed up those photos into my archive - grrrr!!! Double grrrr in fact as some of the tiles went through the boot glass of the Vitesse. I fitted the glass from my old boot lid but that was a horrible, horrible job that I will never do again.
Anyway, some photos after coming back from the sprayers, the air-con snotter can be seen in the background:
The wheels are 16" compomotives, I have a set of lovely 16" 3 piece split rims to go on shortly.
So, loads of work to do still, I'll update this as I go.
Edited by Duke Thrust on Thursday 21st May 11:53
Great to see an SD1 here, especially with a good back story and real progess evident! I have a single plenum '86, also in Silver Leaf. It was off the road for 10 years until mid '07, when I recommissioned it (at some expense!). This summer will see first real use since 1996, pending arrival of a new back box from Rimmers.
Please keep posting the photographs as you go!
Please keep posting the photographs as you go!
_Batty_ said:
bloody epic save!
the rust on that car was savage!
has she turned over yet?
Not as such, I took the injected V8 out it's it quite a special 'period' Rover Craft 4.5 (not a TVR unit). More on that engine later.the rust on that car was savage!
has she turned over yet?
I dropped a carb V8 in to make it all easier to move about - couldn't use the injection as the tank has gunked up. Half a dozen wires and a petrol can was enough to get the carb motor running to move the shell, much easier than pushing.
I've put the chrome trim back on the gutters now, horrid job to do, but it's starting to look much better.
sax player's Stag has twin plenums, don't know what other mods he has though.
He brought it along to the Cheddar meet last month. There are some piccies of it somewhere on the end of the thread below. I have NEVER seen a Stag lift up her skirts and shift like it before!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... Gorge - Sunday 19th April 09
He brought it along to the Cheddar meet last month. There are some piccies of it somewhere on the end of the thread below. I have NEVER seen a Stag lift up her skirts and shift like it before!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... Gorge - Sunday 19th April 09
I look forward to seeing it finished.
Good luck! Already looking great after the respray.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff